Folding check-book holder



1932- c. B. SNIVELY ET AL 1,883,036

FOLDING cnmcx 300K HOLDER Filed April 3, 1931 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 CHESTER B. SNIVELY AND HOWARD M. WOLF, OFWAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA FOLDING annex-Boon HOLDER Application filed April 8, 1931. Serial No. 527,560.

This invention relates to folding check book holders and has for an object to provide a device of this type including a folding cover and a spring-pressed flipper for separating the stubs'from the checks, the flipper automatically operating to press back the stubs when the cover is opened to present the check book in flat condition before the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cover comprising terminal sections and an intermediate section hingedto the terminal sections so that the cover may adequately fold up to house the check book in folded condition, one section of the cover being provided with a spring tongue to slidably engage over the free edge of the check book and confine the same against the cover sothat, when the cover is opened, the check book will be spread out flat and held rigid by the cover so that the uppermost check will be presented to the user devoid of the usual hump at the fold of the check book.

A still further object is to provide a folding check book cover and flipper for the stubs combined in a single unit which will be light in weight, will be strong and durable, and may be formed of a few parts which will not easily get out of orderv and which may be manufactured at minimum cost.

W'ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the sco e of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, g I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved folding check book holder in operative position, I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the holder in folded position,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the flipper, controlling spring therefor, and clamp tongues for the bound edge of the check book,

the line 7 7 of Fig. 2 showing the catch for holding the cover closed.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, 10 designates a folding checkbook of the type usually carried in the pocket, eachcheck being pro vided with a line of perforations 11 to provide a stub 12, the stub edge of the check book having the usual binding 13.

In carrying out the invention, we provide a cover comprising terminal sections 14 and 15 and an intermediate section 16, the terminal sections being'hinged to the intermediate section by hinges 17. p The cover sections may be formed of thin metal sheets of light weight, or may be formed of celluloid, or of any other desired material of sufficient rigidity to form a rigid-support or backing for" the check book when open, The width of the intermediate section 16 is sufiicient to span the fold 18 in the check book, as shown best in Fig. 2, when the check book is folded, and permits of the terminal sections 14 and- 15 extendin in parallel relationship to house the check book. The section 14 Will hereinafter be referred toas the backing section, and the section 15 as the front cover section,

and it will be seen by referring to Fig.

that the backing section is provided at one edge with a longitudinal long flange 19 and and at the opposite longitudinal edge with a comparatively short flange 20, these flanges engaging the longitudinal edges of the check book: and forming stops as well as guide flanges, as will hereinafter be explained, to

the holder.

The backing section 14 is provided with an 'facilitateapplication of the check book to end flange 21, and the front cover section 15 is provided with a flange 22 which, as shown in Fig. 2, meets the flange 21 when the holder is folded. A catch 23 having a pin 23 is mounted on the flange 22 and is engaged over a pin 24 on the flange 21 to hold the cover closed. The catch 23 is controlled by a leaf spring 25, against the tension of which the catch is dislodged from the pin 24 by pressure of the finger on the pin 23 when it is desired to open the check book and holder.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the cover section 15 is provided on the inner face with a spring clip 26 which engages over the free edge of the check book and clamps the check book to the section. The check book obviously can slide underneath the clip during folding or unfolding movement without disturbing the clamping function of the clip.

It is desirable that the used stubs 12 be pressed back simultaneously with opening of the cover to present the uppermost check and its stub in flat condition before the user,

and for this purpose we provide a flipper 27 comprising preferably a. single length of wire bent rectangular, the legs 28 having terminal eyes 29 which are engaged around a pivot pin 30 the ends of which are passed through suitable openings in the above men tioned flanges 19 and 20 and headed up, as best shown in Fig. 3. A helical spring 31 surrounds the pivot pin, and, as shown best in Fig. 2, one end 32 of the spring is anchored against the flange 40 of the housing plate hereinafter described, while the opposite end 33, as best shown in Fig. 3, is directed along one leg 28 of the flipper and terminally hooked, as shown at 34, around said leg. The spring is, consequently, placed under tension when the flipper is rocked inwardly toward the cover and stores up energy to automatically rock the flipper outwardly when the cover is opened.

In service, when a check is torn off from its stub 12, the used stub is immediately inserted underneath the reach of the flipper and the flipper separates the stub from the next unused check and its stub, as best shown in Fig. 2. The act of inserting the used stub underneath the flipper and the closing of the check book holder places the spring 31 under tension so that the spring immediately presses the used stub back when the flipper is released, as shown in Fig. 1, to present the next check and its stub fully within vision of the user.

For clamping the bound edge of the check book in the holder, a plate 36, of the general shape shown in Fig. 5, is preferably riveted, as shown at 37, to the backing section 14 of the cover and is provided with upstanding spring tongues 38 of substantially right angular outline, underneath which the bound edge of the check book may he slipped until the check book engages an upright flange 39 of the plate, as best shown in Fig. 2. The above mentioned guide flanges 19 and 20 engage the longitudinal edges of the check book during insertion thereof underneath the spring tongues 38 and promote easy application of the check book to the holder. By referring to Fig.2, it will be observed that the upstanding flange 39 of the plate is directed laterally to provide a flange 40 and then downwardly to provide a flange 40 for housing the spring 31 of the flipper.

lVhile we have illustrated and described the flipper 27 as applied to a folding check book cover, it is obvious that the flipper may be used for other purposes than as illustrated and described, since it is conceivable that a spring-pressed flipper, constructed in accord ance with the invention, can be used, for instance, as an automatic book marker to separate the leaves of a book when the book is opened, as well as for other similar purposes.

By now referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that a modified form of the holder is shown, particularly applicable to support heavy, thick folding check books which might resist being unfolded to flat condition. To enable the cover to automatically unfold such check books, a helical spring 41 is disposed on the hinge pintle 42 which connects the front cover section 43 with the intermediate section 44, one terminal 45 of the spring bearing upon the inner face of the front cover section, and the other terminal 46 bearing upon the inner face of the intermediate section 44. The spring is thus placed under tension when the cover is closed to automatically throw the front cover section 43 outwardly and unfold or open the check book when the cover is opened.

From the above description, it is thought that the construction and operation of our invention will be fully understood without further description.

Having thus described the invention, we

claim 1. The combination with hinged cover sections, of a flipper pivoted to one of said sections remote from the hinge, and a spring controlling the flipper and tensioned by pivotal movement of the flipper to position between the sections to move the flipper in the opposite direction to extend in prolongation of the section to which the flipper is pivoted.

2. In combination, cover sections hinged together to fold one above the other, a flipper pivoted to one of the sections, a spring controlling the flipper, and a catch for holding the sections folded, the flipper spring being under tension when the flipper is disposed between the folded cover sections and being adapted to move the flipper outwardly to extend in prolongation of the sections when the sections are opened. 7

3. A cover for folding check books comprising hinged sections adapted to house the check book in folded condition, a skeleton flipper pivoted to one of the sections and adapted to be inserted underneath the used stubs of the check book, a spring controlling the flipper and being tensioned when the flipper is rocked inwardly between the folded cover sections and being adapted to move the flipper outwardly to extend the stubs in prolongation of the book when the sections are opened, and a housing carried by one of the sections extending longitudinally over the spring; said housing being of less length than the flipper whereby the flipper may swing past the housing in either direction.

4. A cover for folding check books comprising sections hinged together to fold one above the other, a spring pressed flipper pivoted on one of the sections of the cover and adapted to be inserted underneath the used stubs of the check book and confined under tension by the sections of the cover when said sections are closed, said flipper being adapted to automatically move said stubs outwardly in prolongation of the book when the cover is opened. a

5. A cover for folding check books comprising cover sections hinged together to fold one above the other, means for locking the sections in folded position and a spring pressed flipper carried by one of said sections and adapted to be inserted underneath the used stubs of the check book and confined under tension between the sections of the cover when said sections are closed, said flipper being adapted to automatically move said stubs outwardly in prolongation of the book when said means is actuated to release the cover sections for opening by said flipper.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHESTER B. SNIVELY. [L. s.] HOWARD M. WOLF. [11. s] 

